Journell talks about how he discussed his situation with coach Frank Beamer prior to the Marshall game and moved on

Journell talks about how he discussed his situation with coach Frank Beamer prior to the Marshall game and moved on

Norm Wood

[Updated at 9:43 p.m. with comments from Journell]

Virginia Tech kicker Cody Journell met Monday evening with media after practice to discuss his return from a one-game suspension against Marshall.

"All I'm saying is I made a mistake last week," said Journell, who will kick Thursday night for Virginia Tech at Georgia Tech. "I'm sorry for it. I want to apologize to coaches and players and my family and everybody that supports me, but that I'm back this week and everything's fine."

Journell, who has been suspended from the team twice since December, wouldn't provide details on the reason he was suspended for the Marshall game. He also said there was no indication given by coach Frank Beamer that another incident would result in Journell's dismissal from the team.

"(Beamer and I) already dealt with it before the (Marshall) game, and now it's over, so now it's back to football," Journell said.

The last time Journell was on the field Sept. 14 in Virginia Tech's 15-10 win at East Carolina, he missed two field goals (first time in his career he's missed more than one field goal in a game) and an extra point. He had another missed field goal negated by a running-into-the-kicker penalty.

"I'm making everything now," said Journell of his efforts in practice since the ECU game.

"It's kind of like a golf swing. I know coach Beamer uses that analogy all the time, but once you mess up and you try to fix one little thing, it just compounds after that and it just gets worse. That's kind of what happened that Saturday."

Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer confirmed Cody Journell will be his team's kicker Thursday night at Georgia Tech, but Beamer wouldn't go into specifics about Journell's accountability or disciplinary discussions with the kicker.

Journell, a senior, was suspended this past Saturday for Virginia Tech’s 29-21 three-overtime win against Marshall due to a violation of team rules. It was Journell’s second team suspension since last December. Ethan Keyserling filled in for Journell against Marshall, missing all three of his field goal attempts in rainy conditions.

“He’s made some mistakes, but he’s certainly a good kicker, good kid, good family,” said Beamer when asked Monday by the Daily Press what gives him confidence Journell will have accountability to coaches and teammates for the remainder of the season after serving two suspensions.

“He’s made some mistakes, but as far as his ability kicking, he’s solid. He’s got the same flight every time. He’s made some big kicks, so I that’s a good kicker for us.”

Beamer was later asked if he had to make a decision about bringing Journell back to the team this time after already giving the kicker a second chance.

“I made that statement Saturday after the game, and that’s all I’m saying about Cody,” Beamer said.

After the Marshall game, Beamer said Journell was suspended for the Marshall game due to a team rules violation. Beamer said the suspension would last one game. He added he wouldn’t comment further on the situation.

Last December, Journell was suspended indefinitely from the team after being charged with felony breaking and entering. He and two other men brought an airgun to a Blacksburg apartment resided in by former Virginia Tech men’s basketball player Dorenzo Hudson and others, and were subsequently involved in a failed drug transaction.

In May, the charges were amended to misdemeanor trespassing, and Journell was sentenced to 100 hours of community service and a year of probation. He was reinstated in July to participate with the team.

Journell has made 36 of 45 field goal attempts (78.3 percent) in his career. Last season, he made all six of his game-tying, lead-changing or game-winning field goal attempts that took place in the final three minutes of regulation or in overtime. No other kicker or punter on Tech’s roster has been successful on a field goal attempt in his career.